Social media is now fully incorporated into our daily as a platform where branding and self-promotion is done actively for business and career purposes. Entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals can use social media to market themselves, expand their reach, and engage with the audience at a global level. Bada Business professor Mrs. Samriti Grover details how social media can be utilized to construct personal brands effectively. She stresses upon building a brand as personal and not simply pushing content out there which is the popular perception of using social media.

What is Your Personal Marketing on Social Networks?

It’s now time to explore the domains of social media management and content creation, but first, let’s establish your personal brand. According to its definition, a personal brand refers to how someone views a person, and it includes the following elements:

•  Values
•  Vision
•  Mission
• Image

Sustaining a personal brand is essential in this day and age, especially given that for 85% of recruiters or HR specialists, online reputation is of paramount importance for hiring decisions. Therefore, how does one build a personal brand? Try asking yourself: *What do I want people to know about me?*

You may draw lessons from the renowned motivational speaker, Dr. Vivek Bindra. His personal brand is centered around offering tips on motivation, business-related guidance, and a lot of positivity. He has a considerable following on social media platforms, and it is all because of the perception people have about him. In the same manner, you have to determine how you want to portray *yourself* on social networks. What content do you wish to publish? Below are some suggestions:

• Engaging videos
• Inspirational memes
• Informative quotes
• Videos about your journey/other adventures

Always keep in mind that you are your own foremost brand marketer.

Constructing a Compelling Social Media Profile: Suggestions and Advantages

To raise your personal brand on social media, give it the necessary attention which will help build a solid profile. Here are some advantages along with key suggestions that will help strengthen your social profile:

Differentiate Yourself:

Break the monotony by designing captivating content which helps to stand out amongst your peers. Having a dynamic content mix is one of the best tactics. For example, Forbes suggests this content ratio for your posts:*30%: Posts from within your sphere of work or trade.

30%: Motivational, inspirational, funny posts.

10%: Updates on news from other industries relevant to you.

20%: Your analysis and commentary on issues affecting the industry.

These ratios must be adjusted to better fit your target audience and niche area.

Establish Greater Authenticity:

Developing a theme around a distinct topic improves a person’s credibility. This has a halo effect where as the user base increases, marks the elevation of reputation.

Raising Self-Esteem:

Each interaction takes the user one step closer to the fulfilling and exciting world of personal branding. Interactions such as likes, comments and shares do wonders for self esteem when motivated users garner positive attention.

Increase Connections:

New connections can easily be forged using social media leading to a plethora new prospects. It also helps to forge longstanding relationships with followers and influencers.

Cost Saving:

Unlike other methods of marketing, social media gives advertising space for free. But make sure you use effective tactics, because even though there are no financial costs, time and effort will be required to establish a strong foothold.

Steps to Create Your Personal Brand Using Social Media

After figuring out the strengths, its time to execute your plan. Perform the following steps to create a broad personal brand:

Pick the Best Social Media Network:

Selecting the appropriate social media network for your brand is critical. For instance:

Instagram: if you want to reach out to millennials who love inspirational posts.

LinkedIn: is best for connecting with business professionals.

YouTube: You can also Blog post, or make videos on

Define Your Niche:

Everyone has their likes or a certain field they excel in. Pick yours and create content relevant to that theme. More unique and engaging the posts are, more recognizable the brand will be. For example, **Komal Pandey** built a personal brand in the fashion industry, while **Dolly Singh** became famous due to her comedic skills.

Schedule Engagements:

Ensure that your posting schedule is consistent. Posing once a week or once a month is not sufficient. Posting regularly, which is around 4-5 times a week, will ensure that your followers remember your brand. But be careful; you should not post too much irrelevant content.

Design Attention Grabbing Content:

Content is the most important factor for building your personal brand. To maintain your audience’s attention, focus on original content, like personal stories or milestones achieved. You can also repurpose or repost content that resonates with your brand, but make sure your original content is your focus.

Foster Relationships:

Start adding friends, coworkers, and people you know onto your social media platforms. Further, engage with their content to increase your visibility through new contacts.

Subscribe to Suitable Communities:

Being active in social media groups of your interest or industry can prove beneficial. Sharing your content in groups will help in getting new followers and boosting visibility for your brand.

Have a Consistent Brand Voice and Tone Across Platforms:

While having Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter accounts post leaves followers the chance to follow your brand touchpoints. Your brand tone should be in line with the values you have set for yourself.

Examine Influencers:

Look at influencers within your segment, and look at their content strategies. Also note how often they post and the marketing strategies they employ. This helps in crafting your own strategy.

Important Components of an Effective Social Media Profile

Your profile on social media is akin to a business card. Make sure your profile looks polished:

Display Name: You can use your personal name or some tag line. People tend to remember catchy phrases, so ensure it’s as unique as possible.

Profile Picture: Always use a high-quality picture. If you don’t set a profile picture, needsless to say you will be perceived as untrustworthy.

Your Bio: Have a catchy single or two liner ready that defines you in a nut shell. The most compelling ones can leave them wanting to know more about you and your other works.

Privacy Settings: Your profile should ideally be public if you want a bigger following. After you have a sizable base, you can tweak some privacy settings if you wish.

Interacting With Your Audience: It is not only about adding more friends; you should also be social and interactive. Take part in debates in groups, make sure to reply to comments, and build rapport with your audience.

Best Ways to Tackle Social Media Trolls

While establishing a reputation for yourself online, it’s likely that you come across trolls – people who want to provoke a reaction through the comments they make. Here are some techniques to tackle trolling comments:

Use Comment Moderation Tools:

If the platforms that you are using provide details on moderation, ensure you use the built moderation tools to your advantage and block any offensive comments.

Do Not Engage with Trolls:

Sometimes the best strategy is no strategy at all. Trolls need attention to thrive, and in this case, not giving in to their comments proves beneficial.

Use Accurate Statements:

If there are any misleading claims made by trolls regarding yourself or a particular topic, counter their inaccuracy with accurate statements.

Offer Counter Trolls Polite Responses:

Offering courteous feedback to trolls has the ability to neutralize their aggression making them more confused.

Trolls are Speechless When You Use Jokes:

A perfectly timed witty troll comment can sometimes have the power to make what was previously an unfortunate situation comical, catching the trolls off guard.

Conclusion

Forming a personal brand on social media channels can be very interesting and rewarding. By selecting the appropriate platforms, narrowing down your niche, and focusing on producing quality material, you can develop a strong online presence that will open up many opportunities. Social media is not just about posting updates; it is a means to promote yourself and extend your influence. Keep perfecting your methods and always remember, if done consistently, your brand will greatly benefit.

Categories: Importance of personality development